A Hello and a Goobye
by Lucien-LaLAME
Summary: On her deathbed, stricken from old age and sickness, a former member of the Dark Brotherhood tells her tale.


Carciniea laid on her bed, staring through the open window as a soft breeze rolled in. She watched as two of her grandchildren played in the backyard, one missing. She enjoyed seeing her babies play and have fun, even if it meant her frail body remained immobile on the bed.

She closed her eyes and a new noise was heard in the silence: the sound of her third grandchild crying right outside her room.

"Arnia," she called, the crying immediately halted as the young Breton girl slowly opened the door. "Yes?" She sniffed, trying to hide her flushed face.

"Come here," she signaled for Arnia to approach, "Tell Nana what's wrong."

Arnia obediently followed, seating herself on her grandmother's bed. Carciniea affectionately ran her fingers through Arnia's hair, "You know you can tell me anything."

"I... I h-hate Momma," she let out a whine and started up crying again. "She's... She's so mean, and only to me! It's not fair!" She pouted, laying down next to her grandmother, "I hate her... I hate all of them!"

Her grandmother patted her gently on the back. "Dear, she doesn't mean to be so rude. She's just still... Sad, over your father. Love is known to be to cruel to this family."

Arnia became quiet, all too quiet. "Has it ever been cruel to you?" "Aye," Carciniea nodded, "And a sad tale, that one. I was in love with a man who didn't return the affection. A man, if it weren't by my careless actions, would still be alive."

Arnia turned to face her grandmother, her eyes alit with interest.

"It was years ago, when I was still a fair lass. Keep in mind, this was way before I met your grandfather. I was... Attacked, and with quick thinking and matching agility, I won the fight."

"Who was it, Nana?"

"I'd rather not say, dear. I made it out, staying another night at a local Inn that was kind enough to give me a cheap room. So there I stayed, until I saw him.

Lucien Lachance. He made it into my room without alerting someone - something I never managed to figure out. You could tell he was up to no good, from the way he dressed to the way he talked... So beautiful."

"What did he want?"

Carciniea closed her eyes, replaying that night in her head, "He wanted to recruit me for the Dark Brotherhood."

She heard Arnia gasp, and she hushed the child immediately as she continued with her tale.

"I was to kill a man whom resided in an Inn; he even gave me a blade. A blade I have kept close not because it held memories of my dear Lucien, but all my brothers and sisters of the Brotherhood. That night, I knew I didn't have to murder an innocent man and I could've have forgotten about that meeting... But something about him stuck in my head. I was desperate to see him again, Arnia.

And that's what I did. I travelled to the Inn where the man - whose name always seems to escape me - and bought a room for the night. I stayed there, counting the minutes and hours until I got to see Lucien again. Then I heard the man, whose room was conveniently next to mine, close his door and rest in bed.

I became so frantic... I started to reconsider everything at once. But then I saw that blade and at once I felt confident in this sin once more. He didn't even lock his door; I slain him mercilessly where he lie.

I quietly, yet hurriedly closed the door and slept as I awaited Lucien to come to me once more, hopes to beckon him to join me in my bed. He came in no time at all, and left in the same manner.

When he left me that night, he left behind a gift. A gift that was so wonderful, so beautiful, and so heartbreaking."

"What did he give you?"

"A home, a family," her eyes began to water, "Purification."

Arnia had an expression of confusion, making Carciniea smile.

"I made my way to the sanctuary that held his group of the Dark Brotherhood, and never have I felt more loved. Ocheeva, Vicente, Telaendril, Teinaava, Gogron gro-Bolmog... How I loved everyone. Even the ones who couldn't stand my sight; how I wish I could see them, too.

Ocheeva was the first to welcome me. We got along so well, sometimes we refused to admit we weren't really related! She was my closest friend, and I made sure her death was swift."

"Why did you have to kill her?"

A few more tears came through as Carciniea pressed on, "I... Was given an assignment, from Lucien, only a mere few months after I joined. I met with him at his secluded home, and I was told to... "Purify" my family. There was a traitor, and he suspected it to be from my family! I pleaded with him to change his mind, that I knew my friends were innocent in this situation! ... He never listened.

Ocheeva was the first. A woman who I put some much trust in, so many secrets, who would always keep my secret of my love for Lucien... I made her death the swiftest. She never understood why I was crying.

I went through all my friends, slaying each of them with remorse and grief. The last was my dearest friend, Vicente. Such a gentleman, always was the kindest of all. He was asleep when I killed him. My brethren were slain with the same blade that my dear Lucien had given me so many nights ago.

That's when I became the Silencer. Lucien would drop off orders from certain locations and I would carry them out. The traitor was still amongst us... And managed to trick me into killing members of the Black Hand. You'll learn about them one day, dear. You'll learn of what terrible people they are.

My dear Lucien tracked me to Bravil, catching me right after I killed the Listener himself! I was so confused throughout the endeavor, he must've known that I wasn't aware what I was doing.

The Black Hand even accused my Lucien of being the traitor! How wrong, how so terribly wrong they were... He said to find out about the traitor and meet him back at a deserted farm... I begged, pleaded with him to stay, that it was too dangerous to be alone, but he stood his ground. That fool... That damned fool!"

Carciniea had to stop the story to let out a sob, while uttering other incomprehensible things. "I'm sorry..." She sniffed, Arnia rubbing her shoulder for comfort.

"I found clues, even tracked down the traitor's old location! Though I found nobody, I was so much closer to exposing them. I travelled back to Applewatch, where Lucien was hiding, I wouldn't sleep or eat until I got to see him again. Once I was inside, he..."

She cut herself off once more, sobbing and crying while calling Lucien's name. /p

"I am doing myself one last horrid deed by putting this burdening tale on a child..." She told herself. "I am so, so very sorry Arnia."

"Did he die?"

"Such atrocities shouldn't be described to a child. In short, yes. I was too late. I screamed and cried for my Lucien to come back, but I know Sithis wouldn't give back such a wonderful piece. They took me to the Night Mother, I can't remember why. I was so out of it, my mind still couldn't process Lucien's death.

I met them back in Bravil, that cursed city.. I could never bring myself to return to that damned city after that night. They performed a ritual, opening the sacred tomb to the damned Night Mother herself.

We found out the traitor, Mathieu Bellamont, was planning on killing the Night Mother. He had slain two others of the Black Hand, leaving me and Arquen. I was the one who landed the killing blow, the avenge not only my Lucien, but my brothers and sisters who were sacrificed.

And so, one last victim had fallen to the blade... The blade that has fallen to woe."

"Was the Night Mother there?"

"Her spirit, yes. How I hate that wretched woman... She revealed that she knew of Mathieu Bellamont's intentions, yet refused to say anything to the previous Listener. To say I was outraged would be an understatement. How I wanted to rip her soul from the Void and seal it away where nobody will ever find her! But even with my anger and newfound hatred, she still named me the Listener."

Arnia didn't need to speak this time - her excitement as to what happened next shines in her eyes.

"I told her to do away with herself, and how the only follower she has now is Arquen. Since then, I never went back to Bravil and took all my belongings from Cheydinhal Sanctuary. I never looked back and I never returned to that life. Sixty-four years later and those memories still haunt me."

She coughed violently, "And that is my story, child. My story on how love can be cruel."

"Arnia, it's time for dinner!" Arnia's mother called. She made a face, not wanting to leave her beloved grandmother.

"Go on, child," Carciniea smiled, before stopping. "Wait," she forced herself to sit up and lean over to the nightstand, "There is something I want you to have."

She pulled out a short blade, Arnia instantly noticed a carving in the metal. "I was saving this for when you're older and more mature, but I think you should have it now. Careful, and only use when necessary."

Arnia hesitantly took it, looking deeper at the carvings. It read Vengeance. "But-" "Go now and hide it well. Hurry, before your mother becomes impatient." Arnia nodded, still unsure if she should be in possession of this weapon, nonetheless hurried off to find a hiding place for it.

Carciniea laid back and let out another horrid string of coughs. She was feeling even worse, and she knew her time was about up. Her breathing was heavy, she welcomed the endless silence back.

The door opened on its own, without another person on the other side. There was a familiar feeling in her chest. "Hello, Lucien."

An apparition glowed, forming itself into that of Lucien LaChance appeared next to her, a smirk on his face. "It's been too long."

Lucien looked just like how she saw him before the terrible incident; still handsome, but he looked paler and... Not as solid.

"Sixty-four years... Sixty- four years I've waited for this moment," she coughed once more, eyes tearing.

"We've waited, as well. All these years, all this time, for this moment to welcome you home."

Carciniea shook her head. "No... No... I don't deserve forgiveness..."

"You're far too hard on yourself," laughed Ocheeva, whose appearance was similar to Lucien's, as she and others appeared at the end of Carciniea's bed.

She began to cry, "Why? I, who you all trusted, killed you. I took your very lives!"

"Family learns to forgive, and you are our family," Lucien spoke up. Her eyes went back to him at once. She asked him, something that she's even wanting to ask for last few decades, "Is the Void... Scary?" He smiled, "Not if you have your friends there with you."

She shook her head, despite her hesitance, she was finally ready. "I- I'm ready to leave. I just... Yes, yes I am ready. Take me with you."

They all disappeared one by one; Ocheeva, M'raaj-Dar, Antoinetta, Gorgon, Vicente, Telaendril, and then finally Lucien.

The room darkened, filling up every nook and cranny as it began to swallow her. Something in it was vague, familiar. A familiarity that told her not to fear, not to get away, but embrace what was coming for her. An old, creaky voice echoed in the darkness as it spoke of an old, almost forgotten question that still rang in her head, "What is the color of Night?"

She hesitated for a moment, then drew out what she knew to be her last breath of life, "S-Sanguine."

"Welcome home."


End file.
